Police: Infant was in car seat, but wasn't belted in when drunk mother slammed vehicle into back of truck

A newborn baby has died in an accident and police tell Local 4 the child's own mother is to blame.

The crash happened in October on Folley Road in Ypsilanti Township.

"It's just very difficult to describe. It's just a tragedy," said Derrick Jackson with the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department.

Investigators said Constance Johnson got behind the wheel of her vehicle and was headed home, while drunk, with her 6-week-old in the front seat. The child was in a car seat, but was not belted in.

According to police, Johnson slammed her vehicle into the back end of a truck. The airbag deployed and hit the baby in the head.

"My wife was calling 911, so that we could get an ambulance and rescue team out here," said William Osborne who witnessed the accident. "I went back in (to my house) to get my pants on and when I came back out she was gone with the baby."

Johnson had taken the baby and walked to her mother's home a few blocks away from the accident.

Emergency crews arrived at the scene and rushed the baby to the hospital. The little boy died 7 days later from severe brain injuries.

Johnson is now charged with man slaughter and child abuse, but is out on a $1,000 bond.

Police also said Johnson had a suspended license and shouldn't have been behind the wheel in the first place.

A pretrial hearing in this case is set for the end of May.

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